Love Experiment
by WaitingWishing
Summary: Stuck in an elevator with 3 other residents- Kartik, Felicity, and Adam- Gemma confesses that her boyfriend, Simon, is unwilling to marry her. To test this rocky relationship, the 4 agree to take part in a rather interesting experiment. AU, Karma
1. A Deal Between Neighbors

I have less than a month left till school, and here I am writing this story. I know I shouldn't be doing this, I might not even finish it, and it might just be left abandoned like my other stories. But I'm going to anyway! I introduce my first ever attempt at a Gemma Doyle Trilogy fanfic. I hope I do a good job with this. It's AU, and eventual Karma.

**BTW! The only character I own is Adam**.

Also, It's been a while since I've read the first two books in this trilogy, so if I get some facts wrong, I am terribly sorry.

Well, I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: None of the characters are mine. They belong to the genius mind of Libba Bray.

* * *

"Excuse me!"

Gemma shouted as she hurriedly stampeded down the busy sidewalk. Some people heeded her warning, getting out of harm's way and allowing her to pass, all the while wondering why this red head was in such a hurry. But the majority of everyone else paid her no attention, pretending to have not heard her or ignoring her completely. With no other choice, Gemma had to shove her way past these people. Ignoring the remarks ("Watch it!", "So rude!", "What the bloody hell is her problem?"), she winced at the pain caused by her pumps and realized that perhaps it would be better if she were to run without her heels on. It being nearly 2:42, however, she did not have the time to do so, and with no other option, she continued running. When she at last saw the café, she rushed inside.

"Gemma! Over here!"

She turned and saw Simon waving from a table near the window. The second she sat down to join him, she kicked her heels off, sighing in relief.

"You look like you've ran a marathon" he said, his blue eyes taking in her disheveled appearance.

"I was rushing like mad to get here," she dabbed at the sweat on her face with a napkin. "I know I told you 2:30, and it's practically a quarter to 3 by now- I'm sorry I'm late."

"That's okay," Simon replied, handing her a cup of coffee. "Caramel frappuccino with extra whip cream, just the way you like it."

"You know me so well," she said, sipping the beverage with a smile. Simon returned the smile with one of his own, and they fell into silence as they drank their coffee.

"So," he started, "what is it that you wanted to ask me?"

Gemma put her cup aside. "Oh, right. Well…"

Today was the day she was to ask Simon something she had been pondering over for a good two years. In preparation of this occasion, she spent hours the night before practicing in front of the mirror, reciting what she would say. But now that it was happening, now that she was looking into Simon's curious face instead of her reflection, Gemma didn't know how to say it, nor did she know exactly where to start.

"Well…?" he echoed, his brow fixed in anticipation.

"Um, well, I'm not sure how I should ask you…" She twiddled with her fingers, feeling slightly nervous.

"Try your best, Gem," Simon encouraged with a charming grin and he sat there, waiting.

"How long have we known each other?" she asked after what felt like an eternity.

"Almost 6 years, back when we were in college." He frowned, confused. "Is that all you wanted to ask me?"

"No," she paused briefly. "And how long have we been going out?"

Simon drummed his fingers on the table, not quite sure what she was trying to get at. "About 5 years."

"Right. So…"

"So…?"

"So!" And she took a deep breath, the question stumbling out of her mouth. "Don't you think that it's time we get married?"

The expression on Simon's face was indecipherable. Was he angry? Upset? Horrified? She could not tell, for his lips were set in a fine line, his eyes staring at her, but not exactly seeing. Gemma suddenly wished that she could turn back time and redo the whole moment over, but her wish went unheard in the deafening silence.

"Well?" Gemma said, twisting her napkin with her fingers.

"Married?" Simon echoed, crossing his arms and slouching in his seat. "Huh. Gem, I-I don't know."

This was not the answer she was expecting. "You _don't_ _know_?" She felt the anger rising, and she was sure that her face was the same shade as her hair. "Simon, what's there to not know?"

"Gemma, I know that I love you. I just don't know if I'm ready to get tied down by marriage right now. I mean, I just got promoted in work, and there are still some things I want to do-"

"You make marriage sound like some sort of imprisonment."

Simon sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "That's not what I meant."

"What do you mean, then?"

The café had gone quiet. Simon looked up and saw that the conversation had attracted the attention of several people nearby. Some individuals looked away, pretending to have been glancing out the window, while others kept watching the scene unfold. He found this rather unnerving, but Gemma didn't care about the audience. Her emerald eyes were fixed on him.

"Look, I don't understand why you're getting so worked up about this," he said, lowering his voice.

"What makes you so unsure about marrying me? Simon, do you not want to-?"

A loud ring from his cell phone cut her off. Putting aside the conversation, he answered it.

"Gem, I have to go," he said once he hung up. "I have a meeting at 4:30. We'll talk about this later, okay?" Hesitantly, almost carefully, he kissed her before he walked out the door.

Gemma quickly wiped the tears stinging her eyes. "What the bloody hell are you looking at?" she spat at the audience still watching her, and stormed out.

--

Grey clouds rolled in, full to the brim with rain and ready to unleash a storm with an unstoppable vigor. Kartik couldn't help but smile as he pointed his camera lens to the sky. He absolutely loved this type of weather, the calm before the inevitable storm. Some of his best work centered on the very forces of nature. With his finger on the shutter, he was a second away from capturing the perfect shot.

But then, a shout:

"Excuse me!"

Followed by a push out of the way. This sudden force caught him off guard and he almost fell forward, accidentally taking a picture of the building nearby instead. Angrily, he looked around for the culprit, only to see a flash of red hair dashing down the street. With a sigh, he glanced at the sky. The wind had blown the clouds out of formation; the perfect shot was gone.

"Dammit," he cursed, putting his camera away. His cell phone suddenly started ringing, and with a sigh he answered it.

"Yes, Pippa?"

"Kartik," Pippy's voice sounded whiny, "can we postpone the photo shoot until tomorrow?"

"Why is that?"

"Well, er, I heard there was going to be a storm today, and, um, rainy weather does horrors to my hair." Her voice suddenly sounded light and sweet, "And a top-notch photographer like yourself would want me to look my absolute best for your pictures, wouldn't you?"

"That's ridiculous," Kartik found himself laughing in disbelief. "That's the most ridiculous excuse I've ever heard!"

"Are you laughing at me?" Pippa asked, her question bathed in annoyance.

"You can't actually be serious. Just use an umbrella for God's sake. And we have hairstylists who can fix your hair, because, you know, that's what they do-"

"But Kartiiiiik." Again with the whiny voice.

Kartik sighed. "Okay, look Pippa, the deadline for that billboard ad is next week. It's-" he glanced at his watch- "2:42 right now, so either you suck it up and be at my studio by 3:00, or I'll just ask someone else to be my model. After all, Mae and Bessie offered to take your place in case-"

"Fine. I'll be there," she huffed, no doubt annoyed about the idea of being replaced. "After all, _I_ am your best model." And with a click, the line went dead.

Pippa was indeed his best model- not to mention, the prettiest- but she was also his most ill-tempered one. Her attitude was like that of a petulant child: if she did not get her way, she would fuss and whine; if she didn't want to do something she was told to do, she would cross her arms and pout in refusal; if she didn't feel like showing up to a photo shoot, she would fabricate some elaborate story or some ridiculous excuse; if Kartik threatened to have another model in her stead, she would get even with him and purposefully show up late.

It wasn't until 3:34 when she decided to make her appearance. Sauntering into the studio, she wore a fake mask of sincerity.

"I'm _so_ sorry that I'm late," she apologized, even though Kartik could tell that she was far from being sorry. "Traffic. You know how busy London can be." An obvious lie, but Kartik didn't have the time to argue. He told her to quickly get changed and ready, for a lot of work had to be done.

As frustrating as Pippa could be, she did make Kartik's job as a photographer easy. Like a chameleon, which can easily change its colors to suit the environment, Pippa could slip from one theme ('Girl in Love') to another ('Winter's Sonata) effortlessly. She knew how to pose, how to change her expressions, how to capture the very message Kartik wished to convey in his pictures; it was like being a model was something intrinsic, something embedded into her DNA.

"Well done, well done," Kartik said as he looked over the pictures. "I'll develop these tonight, and you should see yourself on a billboard in no time."

"Yes, that's very exciting." Pippa said, and she leaned towards him, whispering into his ear. "You know, I should get a reward for a job well done."

Kartik sighed, knowing very well what was being implied with this 'reward.' "Pippa, I'm not-"

But her lips had captured his in a deep kiss, silencing him.

--

"Felicity, you'll never believe what I witnessed at the café today!"

Felicity sat outside the dressing room, browsing through an old issue of _Vogue_. Not one for shopping, she felt slightly bored and irritable.

"What is it that you saw?" she asked, although she could have cared less.

Cecily stepped out of the dressing room wearing a red, strapless dress that was rather scandalous for a simple baby shower. "Well, there was this couple having a row. Something about the girl, this red-head, wanting to get married, but the guy, who in my opinion was much too good looking for her, was like, 'Oh, I don't know about that.' She got quite upset, but he blew her off by saying he had a meeting to go to. And then she stormed off, pissed as hell." Cecily looked at her reflection in the mirror, turning this way and that to make sure the dress fit her well at every angle.

"That's most unfortunate," Felicity said, yawning. Still browsing through the magazine, she came across a perfume ad, and was astounded not by what was being advertised, but rather the model. Dark locks and violet-grey eyes; the epitome of beauty.

"She's absolutely gorgeous," Felicity said in awe as she stared as the model.

"Oh, she is, isn't she?" Cecily briefly glanced at the magazine before tending to her reflection. "Fee, does this dress make me look fat?"

Tossing the magazine aside, Felicity looked at her friend. "No, it doesn't. But don't you think that dress is a little too much? I mean, it is just a baby shower."

"A baby shower that Robbie is also attending," Cecily corrected, bursting into a fit of girlish giggles. "I want to look my best."

"Robbie? I thought his name was Henry."

"I dumped Henry last week, remember? Robbie's the love interest now. What about you and what's his name?" Cecily raised a curious eyebrow at Felicity, who let out a laugh.

"You mean Horace?" she said with disgust. "I've no interest in him whatsoever. He's a complete bore."

"No, the other one. Tom! Yes, what about you and Tom?"

The blonde rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Tom? He's only interested in that fact that I have money." Felicity sighed. "Men are such a waste of time. I've no use for them."

"You're only saying that because you haven't found the right guy," Cecily said as a matter of fact.

"Actually…" Felicity paused, not sure if she should continue with what she wanted to say.

But Cecily wasn't paying any attention. "Hm, you're right Fee. This dress is a little too scandalous. I think I'll try on the other one." And she disappeared into the fitting room.

An impatient groan rose from Felicity's throat, and she picked up another magazine.

--

From the window, the clouds look menacing, a worthy opponent for the sun. Soon, the two will go head to head in battle, creating the perfect storm. Anne looked to the grey clouds, wishing that she too was one of them, high up in the sky and far from society, free from the chains that tied her down.

"Anne?"

Dr. Adam's voice lured her away from her thoughts. Patiently, he sat there, his honey-brown eyes peering at Anne over the rim of his glasses as he waited for an answer to the question he had asked moments ago. When he received no response, he asked again.

"Anne, why do you want to kill yourself?"

Anne fidgeted in her seat, tugging the sleeves of her shirt over her scarred wrists. "B-Because my l-life is not worth l-living."

His voice was calm, like a gentle breeze on a summer day. "What makes you think that?"

Although in his eyes swam a welcoming warmth, Dr. Adam's attention made her nervous. She didn't want to tell him about the horrors that haunted her mind, the ghosts lurking in every corner. _He won't understand_, the voice inside her head hissed. _No one understands you, Anne. No one. You are alone in this pathetic world._

"Anne?" Dr. Adam beckoned. Lips pressed into a thin line, she did not say a word. "I see. Are you still planning to commit suicide on your birthday, just like you explained to me during our last session?"

"Yes…" she said so quietly, it was no more than a whisper.

"Is there anything that could change your mind?"

Eyes to the floor, Anne shook her head slowly. "No."

"Don't worry, Anne," Dr. Adam reassured, sincerity sketched into every feature of his face, "I'll find some way to change your mind."

--

By the time Gemma made it to the lobby of her apartment complex, she was soaked. The second she stepped foot out of Blockbuster (where she rented He's Just Not That Into You, and Wall-E because she needed some cheering up), it started pouring. Of course, as luck would have it, she had forgotten her umbrella, and to top it off, she had no cash for a cab (for she had used it to rent the movies). She tried calling her friend, Lucy, but she didn't pick up the phone, and her father was out of town. She refused to call her brother, because for all she knew, Tom would probably laugh at her, so she had no other choice but to walk 10 blocks to get home. Slipping off her coat as she followed a blonde into the elevator, she mentally concluded that today was the worst day ever.

"Which floor?" a guy with dark skin and a head of black curls- Indian, Gemma guessed- asked as he looked to everyone else for a response.

"Fifteen," a guy with brown hair and square glasses replied.

"Same here," Gemma and the blonde simultaneously said.

"Well, what do you know," the dark skinned guy chuckled as he pressed the button. "We all live on the same floor. Got caught in the rain?"

It took Gemma a moment to realize that the question was being directed at her. "Yeah," she simply responded.

Gemma didn't feel like making conversation; she just wanted to watch her movies, and temporarily forget about the occurrence between her and Simon at the café. Mindlessly, she watched the rain patter against the elevator window, which offered a fine view of the London skyline.

There was a flash of light in the dark sky, followed by a loud thunder seconds later. The elevator light began to flicker before going out completely, and suddenly, the elevator came to an abrupt halt, startling the four occupants.

"You cannot be serious," the blonde said, glancing out the window. The London skyline went black as the lights within the distant buildings flickered off.

"Let's try calling for help," the brown haired guy said, taking out his cell phone. Everyone else followed suit, checking their phones, only to discover that no one had service. Gemma tried using the elevator phone, but it was broken.

"Bloody hell," the Indian guy kicked the elevator door in frustration.

"How long do you think it'll be until the power comes back on?" Gemma asked, brushing the damp strands of hair out of her face.

"Thirty minutes? An hour? Two? Who knows?" he replied, making himself comfortable on the floor. "There's no other option but to wait it out."

Knowing that he was right, everyone else took a seat on the floor. An awkward silence permeated the air as they exchanged glances at each other, seeing who was courageous enough to break the quiet spell.

"Okay, this silence is getting on my nerves," the blonde spoke up. "Seeing that we live on the same floor, but I've never seen any of you, I'll introduce myself." She cleared her throat, sitting up straight. "Hi. My name is Felicity Worthington. I don't work, but I have enough inheritance money to last me till old age. My favorite food is Italian, and I hate shopping." She pointed a finger at the brown haired individual sitting on the other end. "You. Speak."

"Alright. Good evening," he smiled a friendly smile. "My name is Adam O'Connor. I'm a psychiatrist-" Felicity let out an "Oo," while the other two looked at him, impressed- "and my favorite food is Thai cuisine. I hate the color orange."

Everyone gave a round of applause, and Adam pointed to the guy next to him.

"The name's Kartik Mehta. I'm a professional photographer-"

"For a porn magazine, I presume?" Felicity jibed.

"Only sometimes," Kartik replied with a smirk. He opened the black bag next to him, and pulled out several magazines- _Vogue_, _Cosmopolitan_, and _Nylon_-, showing them to everyone. "Mostly I do ads and photos for magazines, or for billboards and such. Oh, right. My favorite food is anything, and I hate Chihuahuas."

Another round of applause as everyone looked to Gemma, the last to introduce herself.

"Right. Hi, I'm Gemma Doyle. I work for my father's company, Doyle Corporation-"

"_The_ Doyle Corporation?" Adam asked, eyes wide.

"The one and only," Gemma proudly responded.

Kartik let out a laugh. "I bet you get it easy, being the CEO's daughter, right?"

"Actually, I don't," Gemma glared at him. "I had to work my way up-"

"Are you related to someone named Tom?" Felicity interrupted.

"Yes, unfortunately. He's my brother. Why? Do you know him?"

"Oh, not really. I was just wondering," Felicity waved the matter aside. "Anyway, do continue. Your favorite food is…?"

"I also like Italian." A pause. "And I hate today for it is the worst day in my life."

"Bad day?" Adam asked.

Gemma nodded and explained to everyone what had happened between her and Simon at the café, how much it upset her that the love of her life was unsure about marrying her, even adding in the part about getting caught in the rain. After that was all said and done, she wondered what on Earth possessed her to tell this to people she just barely met.

"Wait, that was you?" questioned Felicity, pointing a finger at Gemma. "My friend, Cecily, told me how she saw a couple fighting at the café. Wow, what a small world."

"Sounds like this Simon of yours isn't ready for a lifelong commitment," Kartik said, arms crossed, dark curls falling into his eyes. For a brief moment, Gemma realized how good-looking this man was, but she shook her head and quickly expelled the very thought from her mind.

"Marriage is always a big step," Adam said as he cleaned his glasses with his shirt. "Perhaps he needs some more time to think about things."

"Or, he's sleeping with someone," chimed Felicity. "Men are such pigs."

"Hey!" Adam and Kartik said in protest.

The thought of Simon having another lover seemed preposterous to Gemma. After all, he wouldn't cheat on her… Would he? "No, I trust Simon. I don't believe that there's someone else."

"You say that with such confidence," Kartik said.

"How about we test this confidence of yours?" Adam suggested, catching everyone's attention. There was a curious glimmer in his eyes, something formulating behind those brown orbs.

Gemma raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Let's experiment by shuffling our relationships amongst each other. Felicity and Kartik, I presume that you two have someone you're seeing?" Felicity shrugged while Kartik gave a curt nod.

"Wait, what do you mean by 'shuffling' our relationships?" Gemma asked, confused.

"Each week, we get a new partner. This continues until we have completed a full round and have returned to our original partner. Then we can decide upon the validity of our relationships."

"So, I would have eventually gone out with Felicity, Gemma, and your girlfriend?" Kartik questioned.

"Precisely."

An amused smile came across Felicity's lips. "This sounds interesting. Count me in!"

"Me too," Kartik said, unable to back down from a challenge.

"I don't know…" Gemma hesitantly responded.

"What?" Kartik smirked. "But you were so confident a few minutes ago. Are you reconsidering Simon's loyalty to you, now?"

"Is your confidence wavering?" added Felicity.

"No, it's just-" Gemma stopped. _It's just what_? If she truly trusted in Simon, truly believed that he loved her in the same way she loved him, then there really wasn't anything to lose. She had this experiment in the bag, for there was nothing to worry about at all.

"Yes?" the others echoed.

The light in the elevator suddenly flickered on and the elevator jumped back to life, continuing its course to the 15th floor. But everyone paid no attention, for all eyes were on Gemma Doyle.

"Fine. I'll join this love experiment," she said with determination.

"Excellent." Adam, Kartik, and Felicity grinned at her.

With a _ding_, the elevator doors opened, and they all stepped out.

"Meet here, in front of the elevator, with your partner tomorrow at 6pm," Adam instructed. Everyone nodded in acknowledgement and bid each other good night before going into their rooms.

Setting her coat on her sofa and tossing the DVDs on the table, Gemma plopped onto her bed, wondering what she had gotten herself into.

* * *

And that's chapter one! I'm sorry if I made some people out of character! And sorry that this was such a long read.

So how was it? Good? Bad? Absolutely horrible?

Please R&R! It's greatly appreciated ^_^

See you next chapter~


	2. So It Begins

I'm an incredibly slow writer, so it's a miracle that I managed to finish this within a weekish. There's a lot of exposition in this chapter, and I apologize. But please bear with me as this is only chapter two. Things will get more interesting soon!

Well, enjoy~

* * *

The stack of papers on Gemma's desk seemed to be alive, for it continued to grow and grow into some hideous, towering thing. Soon, it would also grow a mouth and swallow Gemma whole if she didn't start working on them, but she was too absorbed in creative brainstorming to really care. Work abandoned, pen in hand, she stared at the blank notebook paper, trying to formulate a story plot.

'What to write, what to write,' she thought. The possibilities were endless, but today, it seemed that the plot bunnies had taken refuge in their hiding spots; she would have to try to find a way to lure them out.

Suddenly, the phone rang, startling her out of her thoughts. Saving the brainstorming for another day, Gemma answered it.

"Miss Doyle," Elizabeth, her secretary, said, "there's someone for you on line one."

"Okay, thank you, Elizabeth." Clearing her throat, she pushed the flashing button on the phone and spoke in her professional, business voice. "Good morning, Gemma Doyle, financial director of Doyle Corporation, speaking."

"Good morning, Gemma Doyle," said an all too familiar voice, copying her business-like demeanor. "This is Simon Middleton, your idiot of a boyfriend, and I wish to take a few minutes of your time- you aren't too busy, are you?"

"No, I-I, uh, was just trying to brainstorm for a new story," she stammered, shocked at this unexpected phone call.

"Ah, another story? That sounds like code for procrastination," he replied, his tone light.

"I am not procrastinating," she said, trying to be serious despite the small smile creeping across her face. "Just taking a creative break. There's a difference, you know."

Simon chuckled. "Okay, a creative break it is then."

"Thank you. So, to what do I owe this phone call?" she asked coolly.

"Oh, right. Gemma, I would like to apologize for yesterday. You're probably upset with me-"

"Pissed as hell," she chided.

"-and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry that I made you angry or upset. I'm really sorry, Gem. But," Gemma felt her stomach tighten, not sure where this conversation was heading, "I did mean what I said about not being ready to get married. Not yet, at least. There are still some… things that I need to settle, okay Gemma?"

_Well, at least he had the decency to apologize, right?_ "… Fine," she said after a long pause, sighing.

"Does that mean you've forgiven me?" Simon asked, his voice hopeful.

The Love Experiment came to mind, and she realized that she had not brought the subject up to Simon at all. "Yes, I'll forgive you, but under one condition."

"What's that?"

"Participate with me in the Love Experiment." Quickly, she summarized the events from last night, from getting stuck in the elevator, to meeting Kartik, Adam and Felicity, and then finally to agreeing to participate in the experiment. "We're going to meet tonight at 6pm. So what do you think? Are you in?"

Even though Gemma couldn't see Simon over the phone, she imagined a look of complete and utter confusion plastered on his face. "Um, what's the point of this, uh, this… _experiment_?"

"Well, I guess you can say it's like a test to see if the people we are with now are really, you know, the one."

"Uh huh," he sounded very unconvinced and rather skeptical. "It sounds… interesting, but I'll have to think about that. Anyway, must go. I have a call on the other line."

"Wait, Simon-"

But he had hung up without another word.

--

"Tom, I want you to be at my apartment by 6 o'clock," Felicity ordered as she lit a cigarette, completely ignoring the 'No Smoking' sign posted on the wall. She had just gone through the Love Experiment with him (though she kept Gemma's name anonymous), and although Tom kept asking questions and she had to repeat herself more times than necessary, she gave him an ultimatum: He had to participate, for his refusal to do so would only result in never having sex with her ever again.

"Oh," he looked like a puppy abandoned by his owner. "Well, I could just… find someone else to shag, whatever."

A cloud of cigarette smoke lingered in the air as Felicity exhaled. "Yes, you could. But could you shag a model?"

"A model?" Tom's eyes perked up, curious.

"Mm hmm," she took a long drag from her cigarette. "One of the participant's girlfriends is a model. Breath-takingly gorgeous was how he described her. So think, if you participate…" She trailed off, leaving Tom to his boyish fantasies. After less than a moment's thought, he agreed to join.

"Okay, I'll be there at 6," he replied. "Though I have to ask: What's in it for _you_?"

"Entertainment," Felicity said simply. "It sounds like it could be fun. Interesting."

Truth be told, she also felt sorry for Gemma. The red head seemed to be in such a distress last night (it was quite pitiful in Felicity's opinion), so it would have been terrible of her to refuse the offer. But moreover, she found it a huge coincidence that one of her neighbors happened to be a blood relative of Tom. Tom's lips were always sealed about his family members, never revealing a single word about them. It was like a secret, and Felicity couldn't stand secrets. She hated not knowing something, being kept in the dark.

"I met your younger sister," she said, seeing how he would react.

But his face did not change. "Did you?"

"Yes, she's a nice girl. It makes me wonder why you've never introduced me to her before."

"I've cut relations with my sister, as well as my father," was all he had to say. A secret, a secret. Felicity sighed, aggravated, as he continued his meal without another word, a flop of hair falling over his azure eyes.

"For God's sake, Tom, would you please use some gel to hold that bloody strand of hair in place, it's rather annoying."

"What? You don't find it, sexy?" He smirked in attempt to look alluring and desirable.

The blonde rolled her eyes, smothering her cigarette out on her plate. "Just eat the rest of your meal, please."

--

The air smelled of wet pavement bathed in rain, puddles splattered everywhere like paint on an artist's palate, remnants of last night's storm lingering as small wisps of clouds in the clear sky. Another perfect day for pictures, thought Kartik, as he made his way down the busy sidewalks. He had woken up especially early to capture the sun's victorious ascension in the early sky, to wander around the sleepy city of London. With a camera full of photographs, he couldn't wait to get back to the studio to develop them.

Joining the crowd waiting to cross the street, his stomach let out an angry growl. _You've neglected me all day_, _now feed me_, it commanded, letting out another howl for good measure. Right, change of plans: Food first, then go to the studio after. Kartik was going over the restaurant choices in his head, absent mindedly listening to a conversation taking place behind him.

"I can't make it tonight," said a man's voice.

A female voice with an American accent followed. "But you promised me, Simon."

Kartik's ears perked up in interest. Simon? As in, Gemma Doyle's boyfriend? No, it couldn't be; it was only a mere coincidence. There are probably thousands of Simons in the entire UK alone, so it couldn't possibly be Gemma's Simon. Besides, it was none of his business. To occupy his mind with other matters, Kartik went back to thinking about food, but try as he may, his ears refused to ignore the conversation and only listened for more.

"I know, I know, but I have to be somewhere tonight. Besides, I wouldn't want her to suspect anything."

_Her? Who are they talking about?_

"Okay, fine. How about tomorrow afternoon? "

Perhaps if Kartik quickly turned around to see what these people looked like, then maybe-

"Oh damn, let's hurry and cross the street, or else we're going to miss the light. But alright, tomorrow afternoon sounds…"

Their voices suddenly trailed off in the opposite direction. Kartik turned around to see if he could take a glance of these two, but just as he did so, it was clear to cross and he was swept away with the rushing crowd. Just a blur of faces was all he saw.

_Oh well, it was just a coincidence_, he thought to himself before returning to the mystery of what to eat for lunch.

--

The rest of the day seemed to go by so incredibly slow, for all Gemma did for the remainder of the day was tackling the paper work piling on her desk, that by the time it hit 5 o'clock, she leaped out of her seat, grabbed her things and got in the elevator, eager and ready to go home. But then she remembered that in an hour, she was supposed to meet everyone for the beginning of the Love Experiment. Without Simon, there wasn't much of a point to it anymore; she would just have to tell everyone that the experiment was off.

Disappointed, she let out a sigh as the elevator reached the lobby. Stepping out, she noticed someone lying on one of the sofas, asleep. When she neared the slumbering individual, she saw that it was no other than Simon himself. She brushed aside his strands of hair away from his peaceful face, her fingertips grazing his skin. He awoke from her touch, rubbing his eyes as he sat up.

"Hello, sleepyhead," Gemma said.

"What time is it?" Simon asked with a yawn.

"A little after five. What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you. Well, I was before I fell asleep. I came here right after work, so I was really tired, you see."

Gemma frowned. "Waiting for me?"

"Yeah. Don't you have some experiment-shindig thing going on today?"

"But… I thought that you weren't coming."

"I said that I would think about it, so I thought about it, and decided that I'll join in this experiment," he replied, grinning up at her.

Gemma smiled back and took his hand in hers, tugging him into a kiss. "Okay sleepyhead, let's go or else we're going to be late."

By the time they reached the apartment complex, Kartik, Adam and Felicity were already waiting, wine glasses in hand.

"You've made it," Felicity greeted as she handed both of them a glass, and filled it with red wine. "Felicity Worthington," she introduced herself to Simon.

"Simon Middleton," he replied.

A smirk spread across her face. "Yes, I know." Simon shot a confused look at Gemma, who only shrugged.

The other two introduced themselves as well, making light conversation. Gemma noticed Kartik's wary glance at Simon; it was as if he were trying to confirm suspicions of some sort. She didn't realize that she had been staring until his dark brown eyes met hers, and she quickly looked away.

The elevator doors swung open with a _ding_,and curiously, they watched to see who would step out. Gemma's eyes widened in shock.

"Alright, I'm here," Tom announced, his coat slung over his shoulder. His eyes scanned the room, and when he met an all too familiar pair of jade ones, he groaned. "Oh God, it's you."

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" Gemma spat, marching up to him. Although it had been a good number of months since she had last seen him, she was not happy at all, not in the very least.

"It's nice to see you too," Tom bitterly laughed.

"You two know each other?" Adam inquired, feeling the growing hostility.

"No relation," Tom said as he took a glass and filled it to the brim with wine.

"They're siblings," Simon answered, holding Gemma back for she was seething in anger.

"You good for nothing brother- do you have any idea how worried father is?!" She looked like she was about ready to punch him in the face. "Do you have any idea how hurt we are that you just abandoned us without saying anything?"

"What's going on?" Kartik interrupted, quite confused about the bantering between the siblings.

The question went ignored. "No," Tom said, his words like ice. "And quite frankly I don't care. Look, if you're going to lecture me, I'm out of here." And he made his way towards the elevator.

"Tom!" Felicity called.

The moment he pressed the button for the 1st floor, the elevator opened and he came face to face with the most beautiful specimen of female he's ever laid eyes on. An intoxicating hint of perfume filled his nostrils as Pippa sauntered past, leaving him stunned. Slowly, he wandered back to the crowd.

"I thought you were leaving," Gemma glared at him.

"Changed my mind," Tom said, still drooling over Pippa.

Tom wasn't the only one astounded by Pippa; everyone, except for Kartik who had grown immune to her beauty's paralyzing sting, seemed to be effected by her presence (Gemma even had to hit Simon on the arm to make him snap out of his daze). A sight to behold, Gemma couldn't help but feel a little jealous of this girl's perfection.

"Kartik, I have arrived," Pippa said, hooking her arm with his. She did not mind the stares for she was basking in the attention.

"Glad to see that you could make it," Kartik replied. It was easy for him to get Pippa into this experiment. All he had to do was throw in the phrases 'Find your real prince Charming,' 'True love,' and 'This could be fate,' and Pippa agreed, finding it rather romantic.

"You're that model!" Felicity could not believe her eyes. "From the _Vogue_ magazine!"

Pippa smiled, exposing a perfect set of shimmering, white teeth. "Pippa Cross," she introduced herself, eyeing Simon and liking what she saw. Noticing this, Gemma looped her arm with his as though to say, _Hands off, bitch. He's mine_.

Occupied with another round of introductions and more small talk, they did not notice Anne stepping out of the elevator. Silently, she walked over to Adam and stood by his side, head down and too afraid to make eye contact with anyone. Everyone stared at her, curious as to who she was or why she was there.

"Are you lost?" Felicity asked patronizingly, and Pippa suppressed the need to laugh.

"No, she's with me," Adam replied when Anne didn't. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Come on, Anne. Introduce yourself."

"My n-name is A-Anne B-Bradshaw," she stuttered, so nervous that her hands were shaking. "And, I-I…" As she meekly looked up, she saw Tom, her train of thought coming to a sudden halt. An awkward silence encompassed the room as everyone waited, expecting her to continue her sentiment. But she made not another word and eventually went back to staring at the floor.

"I'm Gemma Doyle," Gemma spoke out, saving Anne from the spotlight. She handed her a glass of wine as a sign of welcome. "It's nice to meet you." The others followed suit, introducing themselves to Anne, who they found rather strange and awkward.

"Now that we're all here and present, may we start with the Love Experiment?" Felicity asked, eager to begin.

"I don't understand why it's called the Love Experiment. Sounds like a lousy reality TV show to me," Tom scoffed under his breath. Felicity scowled and kicked him in the shin.

"Right, let's begin," said Adam. "Remember, we switch partners every week, and this continues until we have reached full cycle and returned to our original partners. And the goal is to test the loyalty of those we are with now-" he threw a knowing glance and Gemma "-and to see if there truly is just one person for everyone."

He reached into his left pocket and took out four cards, face-down, and handed one to each of the guys, taking the remaining one for himself. Reaching into his right pocket, he did the same with the girls. "The person with the same suit as yours is your partner for the week. I'll go first." He flipped his card over, showing a King of Spades.

"I'll go next!" Pippa excitedly said, holding up a Queen of Clubs. Simon followed after with a King of Diamonds, then Gemma with a Queen of Spades, Tom with a King of Clubs, Felicity with a Queen of Hearts, Kartik with a King of Hearts, and finally ending with Anne, who held up a Queen of Diamonds.

Everyone shuffled over to their respectable partners. Gemma looked over at Adam and he smiled warmly at her. A wide grin was plastered on Tom's face as Pippa looped her arms with his. Anne was still staring at the floor, while Simon stood next to her, hands in his pockets, and Kartik and Felicity didn't make much of an effort to communicate and instead, glared inquiringly as though sizing themselves up against each other.

"Everyone, I would like to propose a toast," Gemma announced, holding her glass up. "To love: may it find us all."

"To love," the others chorused. The sound of glass clunking against each other echoed through out the hall, a single thought coursing through everyone's minds:

_This is going to be an unpredictable experience_.

* * *

You're probably wondering, Why are Gemma and Tom so hostile towards each other? What's up with Tom? Was that really Simon that Kartik saw? And where's the Karma you promised?!

Don't worry, all these things and more will be explained as the story progresses. And things will get more interesting (hopefully)! Don't forget to review, they make me happy (o^.^o)

See you next chapter~


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